TMC slams BJP for using Prez photo worshipping Ram-Sita on tableaux

Kolkata: Partha Chatterjee, Trinamool Congress secretary general, has criticised BJP for using a photograph of President Ramnath Kovind worshipping Ram and Sita in the tableaux of Ram Navami rallies.

Chatterjee said using the photograph of the President worshiping Ram and Sita in the tableaux of Ram Navami rallies is uncalled for. He said: "Ram has been worshipped in Bengali homes for generations. But never in the past rallies of Ram Navami with arms have been taken out in Bengal."

Chatterjee said BJP is trying to incite people belonging to one community against the other in the name of religion. Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Youth Congress president, while addressing a political rally recently alleged: "BJP is using the name of Ram to win elections. It is a shame that the faith of thousands of people has been used for political gains."

Meanwhile, the state government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure peaceful law and order situation in the state on the occasion of Ram Navami on Sunday where a number of rallies will be taken out.

The state government has already banned public display of weapons during Ram Navami processions and permission have been given only to traditional rallies.

The Election Commission has agreed to the state's plea for two companies of Central forces — one each for Barrackpore and Asansol for beefing up security during Ram Navami.

Special police observer Vivek Dubey held a meeting with Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajesh Kumar at the Kolkata Port Trust guest house on

Friday where the former had instructed Kumar to have proper security

arrangements in place for Ram Navami on Sunday.

Dubey, who left the city on Saturday to brief the second phase poll preparedness in Bengal to the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Delhi, said: "The state administration will make security arrangements for Ram Navami. I am concerned with the second phase of elections and so I am going to Delhi," Dubey told reporters at the city airport.

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh however, conducted a rally with weapons at Kharagpur on Saturday. Trinamool Congress will lodge a complaint with the Election Commission alleging violation of the state government's ban against the display of weapons.